FCC Takes Major Steps To Combat Call Completion Problems

The Federal Communications Commission took steps to remedy the serious and unacceptable problem of long-distance calls failing to reach rural homes and businesses.

New rules unanimously adopted by the FCC will provide immediate solutions and empower future agency enforcement efforts while giving providers incentives to improve their service. The new rules require key providers to record, retain and report rural call completion data to give the FCC the information it needs to investigate and eliminate the problem. Providers may use this information to improve performance on their own. The data will also allow state regulators to better monitor performance and identify problem areas. As soon as the new rules take effect, providers will be barred from transmitting an audible ring to a caller’s handset when the phone on the other end of the call is not actually ringing. As a result, callers will no longer prematurely hang up, and providers will get better information about call performance. In addition to providing the FCC with data to better monitor and redress call completion problems, the Order includes a safe harbor provision with incentives for providers to improve their call completion practices and performance.

Building on a number of recent FCC actions, the Order includes the following provisions:

• Providers with over 100,000 lines that make the initial choice as to how to route a call must collect and retain data for six months and file quarterly reports.
• False audible ringing is prohibited (signaling that leads the calling party to believe the phone is ringing at the called party’s premises when it is not).
• Providers taking advantage of the safe harbor, which incorporates an industry best practice to limit the number of intermediate long distance providers to two, will receive the benefit of reduced data retention and reporting obligations.
• To encourage providers to have all mechanisms in place to ensure calls to rural areas are completed, such as by meeting all industry best practices, providers will also have the option of requesting a waiver to have their retention and reporting obligations further reduced.